Attack on girlfriend in Spencer nets 2½-year jail sentence

Monday

Sep 16, 2013 at 6:28 PMSep 16, 2013 at 6:43 PM

By Kim Ring, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

EAST BROOKFIELD — A 41-year-old man charged with attempting to murder his new girlfriend was sentenced Monday to 2½ years in the Worcester County Jail and House of Correction in West Boylston, though that charge was dismissed.

Zonda L. Macklin, who at the time of the attack in July was living with the victim in Spencer, was charged with attempted murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, witness intimidation, assault and battery and threatening to commit a crime.

Police learned of the assault a day after it happened, when a friend of the victim noticed during church services that she had bruises and questioned her. The friend persuaded her to go to a hospital, where the staff alerted police.

The victim told officers she'd been living with Mr. Macklin for about a month and that he'd demanded $100 from her the day of the assault. When he began taking her things, she told him to stop and he began beating her, stomping on her back and choking her until she was unconscious, court documents said.

She told police that when she regained consciousness, Mr. Macklin was "laughing in my face with no clothes on." He threatened to pour hot oil down her throat to kill her and said he would also kill her grandmother, she told officers, adding that she believed she'd been raped.

In a plea agreement reached Monday in Western Worcester District Court in East Brookfield, Mr. Macklin was sentenced to 2½ years in the House of Correction on the charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. On the remaining charges he was sentenced to 2 years of probation following the jail term. During probation he must remain drug- and alcohol-free, undergo a mental health evaluation, have no contact with the victim and complete a batterer's program.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Courtney Price.

Contact Kim Ring at kring@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimmring